An optical module according to an embodiment includes a first optical component and a second optical component including a multicore fiber (MCF) and a spatial joining part. The first optical component includes a first uncoupled MCF having small optical coupling between cores and a first coupled MCF having a mode field diameter (MFD) larger than a MFD of the first uncoupled MCF. The second optical component includes a second uncoupled MCF having small optical coupling between cores and a second coupled MCF having a MFD larger than a MFD of the second uncoupled MCF. In the first coupled MCF and the second coupled MCF, crosstalk is periodically produced along the length direction of an MCF, and the total of the length of the first coupled MCF and the length of the second coupled MCF is a length L in which crosstalk is suppressed.

An optical module according to an embodiment includes a first optical component and a second optical component including a multicore fiber (MCF) and a spatial joining part. The first optical component includes a first uncoupled MCF having small optical coupling between cores and a first coupled MCF having a mode field diameter (MFD) larger than a MFD of the first uncoupled MCF. The second optical component includes a second uncoupled MCF having small optical coupling between cores and a second coupled MCF having a MFD larger than a MFD of the second uncoupled MCF. In the first coupled MCF and the second coupled MCF, crosstalk is periodically produced along the length direction of an MCF, and the total of the length of the first coupled MCF and the length of the second coupled MCF is a length L in which crosstalk is suppressed.

A multicore fiber 1 includes: a small diameter portion 33 in which a propagation constant of light of an x.sub.1-th order LP mode of the first core 11 (here, x.sub.1 is an integer of 2 or more and x or less, x is an integer of 2 or more) and a propagation constant of light of a y1-th order LP mode of the second core 12 (here, y.sub.1 is an integer of 1 or more and y or less other than x.sub.1, y is an integer of 1 or more) coincide with each other and a large diameter portion in which a propagation constant of light of each LP mode of the first core 11 and a propagation constant of light of each LP mode of the second core 12 are configured not to coincide with each other are arranged.

An optical fiber-based sensor is described that is suitable for operation in a gas-rich environment. The sensor comprises a chamber into which are mounted one or more segments of optical fiber, into which are inscribed a plurality of sensor gratings. Each of the plurality of sensor gratings is configured to have the same wavelength shift over time in response to a change in gas diffusion, such that gas diffusion parameters are excluded in the determination of the respective amount of change in temperature, applied strain, and gas diffusion. Also described is a fiber, and techniques for making same, comprising of cores extend through a common cladding. The cores are doped so as to create, in conjunction with the cladding, a plurality of waveguides having the same wavelength shift over time is response to a change in gas diffusion, but different wavelength shifts in response to changes in other parameters.